Teen Cyberbullying Arrest: Fake Facebook Page
The teen cyberbullying cases continue after two Florida teenagers were arrested after creating a fake Facebook page in the name of their classmates. They took things up another notch by adding their classmate's head on a "nude prepubescent girl's body," The Smoking Gun reports.
Taylor Wynn, 16 and McKenzie Barker, 15, were arrested and charged with cyberstalking. They also added the caption: "I am a member of the Itty Bitty Titty Comitty!! <3." Another photo featured the alleged victim's head open next to male genitalia, the New York Daily News reports. The incident was discovered after school police were notified of the Facebook page.
The accused girls claimed it was all done as a joke, but the victim did not find it funny.
"The victim was subjected to numerous incidents of teasing and ridicule," investigators found. But the alleged teen cyberbullying suspects didn't seem to mind. Wynn was asked by her mother, in front of the police, why she did it. "Because nobody liked her," Wynn allegedly replied.
Bullying is verbal, physical, or mental harassment committed by a student. It can consist of verbal threats, physical assault, intimidation, or other forms of inappropriate behavior, such as harassment, or disorderly conduct. As we wrote last year, one of the most important things you can do if your child is being cyberbullied is to remind them they are not alone, and neither are you. Take advantage of the many online resources to research the law, to find help and to get support.
Related Resources:
- Mean Girls: Teens busted for phony Facebook pages (Sun Sentinel)
- Cyberbullying Law Coming Soon? MySpace Suicide Case Leads to Legislation (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Bullying (FindLaw)